


An Artist’s Commission

by brothergrimace1



Category: Daria (Cartoon)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-28 05:26:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13264644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brothergrimace1/pseuds/brothergrimace1
Summary: A fic from the 'Legion of Lawndale Heroes' (Daria/Legion of Super-Heroes) crossover created by Roentgen, we find Jane Lane as she receives a request that will expand her artistic talents in ways that she never expected.





	An Artist’s Commission

 

 

_An Artist’s Commission_

_A Legion of Lawndale Heroes  ‘Mini’, by Brother Grimace  _

**_Legion of Lawndale Heroes  created by James Bowman _ **

 

 

_With everything that they were going through as Legionnaires, it was sometimes all too easy to forget that they were also teenagers and young adults, all going through their own separate personal trials._

_At times like this, the more fortunate of them had those interests that they had cultivated before their time in the Legion, and for them, retreating to those interests was at once a comfort from their new-found pressures, a callback of simpler times, and a reminder for some that the Legion was never really the path that they had intended for themselves. Yes, the Legion provided most of them opportunities that they would have never realized if they had never developed powers and became members - but for several of them, the calling of that pre-Legion path was too ingrained to ever set aside permanently._

_The world of Art was Jane Lane’s escape. As long-distance running was the balm that soothed her physical needs, art let Jane express her inner self and work through the feelings that she had about so very many things in her life, even before that fateful animal encounter - and more than a few afterward._

_In a sense, that meeting with (Russell) Dalbert in Jane’s art studio was one small step in realizing her dreams of the past, and allowing her to take even greater control of her present._

 

_\- from The First Year Series: The First Legionnaire, by Cinderella Jacks and Alison Cockrum-Samuels, Ph.D _

__

****NOTE:****  This ‘Mini’ follows up on events in the LLH 'Mini' _The Big Piece of Chicken_ (as it explains the rationale behind Russell's visit), and the 'Minis' _Keep Your Chin Up_ and _Bullying A Dragon_  (which explain Russell's back-story) It's not necessary to read the latter two fics, but it’ll give you a few laughs - and explain why he’s so polite and genteel in Jane’s presence.)

__

“You’re Jane Lane, right?”

 Jane didn’t even bother to look up from her work. “You want to talk to either Daria or Charles. She’s got the afternoon off, and Charles is in a teleconference with some _National Legion_  chapter heads. You didn’t check before you flew in?”

The tall, thin cadet with butter-blond hair and glasses smiled; even so, he kept his place outside the door of the room Jane had long ago claimed as her art studio.“I used a gateway. Had to walk a couple of blocks to get in here, but there you go.”

 “Oh.” Jane turned away from the dishwasher-sized block of clay (and the elegant, very lifelike woman’s hand she was working on), and set her sculpting knife atop an even larger block of stone off to her left. “That makes things nice and simple. Nice to meet you. Stop into the cafeteria on your way out - today’s theme is __New England__. I heard they kicked it in the butt with that shrimp boil.”

“To tell the truth - I actually came to talk to you. To meet you.” The cadet smiled. “My name’s Russell Dalbert. They said that as an artist - _you’ve got skills_.”

 Jane looked Russell over, and wondered momentarily what was in the padded, legal-sized envelope he held in his right hand. “I thought that all you military types had a bit more muscle on you. Nice accent, too - but I can’t nail it down.”

“West Virginia and Mississippi, thrown through the strainer of the service - and a great-grandmother who never forgave the North for their adventurism.” Russell motioned at the entrance. “May I come in, please?”

Jane smiled at him. “I see someone has manners.”

“Only when around pretty young ladies who can put me in the ground like a tent peg. I was on monitor detail the day you and your former beau had your little… __spat__.”

Russell’s smile grew wider. “Between you, Cadet Blum-Deckler, Miss Sandi and the Sisters Morgendorffer - you ladies have _quite_  the reputation as a brawling crew.”

“I’m not interested in going out on a date.” Jane’s tone was firm and without the possibility of reversal.

“That’s all well and good to know, Miss Jane - but that’s not why I came to call today.”

“Not interested in any of your soap-opera plot-lines or hi-jinks, either.”

Russell drew himself up straight. “Neither am I. This is business. Grandpa told us that people don’t have time for bullshit when it comes to business - and from what I’ve heard, you work out of my grandpa’s book, too.”

The Legionnaire saw how Russell stood at the entrance to her studio, and reluctantly waved him in.

“Thank you.” The cadet turned slightly, so Jane could see the service patch on the left arm of his uniform shirt. “You recognize this patch, I imagine?”

Jane shook her head slightly. “They all sort of blended in together, the few times I’ve been there.”

“I thought we’ve decided to dispense with the bullshit, Miss Jane. There’s no way that someone with your rep hasn’t-”

“The _USAES Mystical Enhancement Program._ ” Jane cut him off. “The ' _quartered circle_ ' - it  generally represents the _Four Elements_  in some Wiccan beliefs - it’s eclipsing the sun, with seven javelins with outward-pointing blades from the circle/sun. They form a _septagram _-__  in some Christian-oriented beliefs, it represents the seven days of Creation. It’s also the primary symbol for some Wicca traditions like _Blue Star_. ”

Russell’s smile widened to an impressive extent as Jane continued. “The points are situated so that two face _downward_  and one _upward_  - the traditional symbol for __white magic__. Also, the blades aren’t shaped correctly, if they’re supposed to be javelins. The blades in your patch are actually slender, mounted versions of _athamé _-__ the traditional _ceremonial_ blades used in ritual magic.”

Jane took another look at Russell’s patch. “You’re in your last two years at the Academy. Your patch has a _platinum_  background; that means you’re technically ready to be sent out into the wild, if someone actually needs you. From what I understand, they don’t give _ANYONE_ platinum until after they’ve done their internship year.”

Russell gave her a slow, single nod. “ _ _That’s__ why I’m here. You’ve got a good eye, you pick out fine details, and you actually go and do some study on what you’re working on, so you don’t offend anyone that you aren’t _intentionally_  trying to offend with your work.”

The cadet chuckled to himself. “I heard about your Jackson Pollock tribute - and I looked it up online. People have opinions on your work.”

Jane swept aside the world of questions Russell’s comment raised with ease as a single question fell from her lips. _“You want a piece of art?”_

“ _Yes_  - and _no_. May I have a seat, Miss Jane? This might take a moment.”

Russell didn’t even blink as a sturdy, stylish metal chair flew across the room and landed without a sound beside him; he sat down and glanced in Jane’s direction.

“If you’re as familiar as you seem with USAES program patches, you probably know something about the programs and certifications that some of them have.” He continued as Jane nodded. “ _ _'_ Virginia_’ has those ‘ _Hellhound_ ’ patches, and then there’s the patch for the ‘ _super-soldiers_ ’-”

“The ‘ _Vitruvian Man_ ’ - but with three eyes and wings,” Jane cut in. “Also - ‘ _Virginia_ ’?”

“What we call the psychics. You know the old state slogan - ‘ _Virginia is for lovers?_ ’ They tease us, we tease them - __‘_ Wanda _’, ‘_ Virginia _’__  - it’s a school thing. Moving on - each of the seven Academy programs has their top certification. The CAUSE cadets have _Lawman_ , the ELMS program has _MAESTRO_  - they call the cadets who get it ‘ _Conductors_ ’ - while the psychics have _Hellhound_ -”

“What do you guys have?”

Russell sat up in the seat, quite formal in appearance as he did so. “ _That’s_ why I came to see you. The highest certification that the _Mystic Enhancement Program_  gives out is _White Sword_  - the same sort of training that the _Hellhounds_  and _Conductors_  get, but from a magical dimension, as it were.”

Jane lifted her left eyebrow. “Wait a minute. You want me to design and make a _patch_?”

“No.” Russell looked Jane directly in the eye. “I want you to forge a _sword_  for me - a special sword. A sword that’s a _symbol of achievement_ , a _tool_ , and a _work of art_.”

He opened the envelope and handed Jane a photo that took her breath away; it was a beautiful scimitar, a highly-polished, impossibly brilliant silver-white blade, with what appeared to be intricate, hair-thin lines of silver and gold that spider-webbed  through the ivory hilt.

“Every year, only three cadets are given _White Sword_ certification. More can attempt it - and the ones who don’t get it can get other qualifiers by default - but only three blades are awarded per year.” Russell leaned forward. “I finished my coursework and my other certifications, we also have a competition at the beginning of each year - you can’t enter until you finish up all of your work, so for most people, they __may__  get two attempts to get their blade.”

“So you got yours this year?”

“Second and last try.” As Russell spoke, a mixture of pride and sorrow crossed his face. “That’s another reason why the blade is so important; it represents all of the worthy cadets who tried and didn’t succeed, so you wear it with respect.”

“Wow.” Jane was still taken back by the image of the blade; the scabbard was equally impressive, it seemed to be made of pure ivory (with the same interweave of precious metal through the material), encrusted with turquoise and emeralds, and shaped to fit the blade perfectly. “I can’t make anything like this scimitar.”

I don’t want you to - and it’s a _talwar_.” Russell accepted the photo back. “Last year, one of my friends - Chandni Kaur - won her _White Sword_. Her family had _this_  commissioned for her. I don’t need anything nearly as fancy.”

He handed Jane another photo - this one of a sword that, while elegant, was nowhere near the spectacular nature of the talwar she has seen earlier. That’s what the standard-issue Navy officer’s sword looks like. I want this, but with the same features of Chandni’s blade.”

Jane held up her hand. “One thing I can tell you now is that you can _forget_  having the same amount of ivory in any sword I’d make - if I were doing it - and if that sword for your friend was made with _elephant_  ivory, then there’s people who are going to be in a world of trouble. I don’t get involved with animal cruelty - _especially_  when it involves art.”

“That ivory came from the personal stockpile of Chandni’s family. It’s over a hundred years old, and pieces are only used for once-in-a-lifetime items.”

Jane whistled. “Pretty fancy and pricey for a decoration.”

Russell shook his head. “It is - but it’s __not__  a decoration. Those swords are built for a purpose. They’re _meant_  to see use.”

Jane drew back slightly. “You’re _kidding_.”

“Ivory, emeralds and turquoise are all considered to be materials with mystical properties - and the _metal_  that blade is crafted from?” Russell took a deep breath; he knew that what he was about to say was going to upset his host. “If I say something, can you promise me that you won’t act crazy for one minute?”

Jane - who had been standing all this time - sat down on the block of stone, and for good measure, tossed her sculpting knife out of reach. “I promise.”

Russell drew a small metal ingot the size of a standard domino from the envelope; and Jane instantly recognized the particular gold-like hue of the metal.”This is ‘ _ _witchblock__ ’. I believe you’re familiar with a version of it.”

“What does it do - actually keep witches away?”

“ _ _Yes__. It nullifies mystical effects and energies on contact - but a block this size generates a field that repulses all magical energies in a six-foot radius. Right now, your average kitchen chair has more mystical ability than I do - oh, and it causes you to get a horrible taste or smell when you’re near it. Thank God lead blocks the energy like any other form of radiation.”

He handed it over to Jane. "You probably know it by its official name - _Salazarium_. That piece you're holding is _Terrestrial Salazarium_ \- unlike the _Basic_ _Salazarium_ that was used in making your Legion flight rings."

Jane was surprised by the weight of the small ingot. “Heavier than I’d imagine.”

“That’s the other special effect of _Terrestrial Salazarium_ ,” Russell told her. “Outside of a field of gravity, it naturally generates _gravitons_  to createa small gravity field of its own - but in a field of gravity, it’s naturally drawn to the source. Things made with ‘ _witchblock_ ’ just feel heavier, even against objects of the same weight.”

An evil little twinkle appeared in Jane’s eyes. “So, if you made a set of free weights made of this stuff-”

“You’d get an excellent work-out - and nothing that goes ‘bump’ in the night would try to bump around your weight room.”

“I want some of these for ankle weights.” Jane looked the ingot over. “Yeah. They’ll be good for running in general - and keeping spooky stuff away while I’m jogging.”

Russell looked her over as she spoke - and Jane noticed that it wasn’t a lecherous glance, but an appraising one, as if he was starting to accept some of the things that he’d heard about her. “I heard about that _Manananggal_ you vanquished at your Halloween ball. Nice work.”

Jane turned to look at Russell. “Hmn? ‘ _Vanquish_ ’?”

“That’s what it’s called when we destroy an _HST_  - a ‘ _hostile sub-terrestrial’_.”

She laughed at Russell. “You guys love your ‘ _alphabet soup_ ’, don’t you?”

Russell held his hands out in mock surrender. “It’s _worse_  than you think. We put everything into one of six groups - _EOE’s, HST’s, MOV’s, SDB’s, SPB’s_  and _PQE’s_.”

“And if you keep that up, you’re going to be _A-N-N-O-Y-I-N-G M-E C-O-M-P-L-E-T-E-L-Y _.__ ”

_“Gesundheit!”_

Russell took the ingot back. "This stuff's been dropping out of space since forever, but it's almost always mistaken for _iron pyrites_ \- 'fool's gold'. The reason why _marcasite_ jewelry was so popular back in the old days - well, all the way back to ancient Greece and especially in the _Victorian Era_ \- was because people occasonally got verry, very lucky, stumbled upon actual pieces and realized that it drives mystical things back AND kills them as if they were mundanes. Gives a bit more punch to the bullet, blade or blow, if you shoot, slice, stab or club them with it."

“That should be fun.”

“If you want fun with this - put in in a room with ‘ _black light_ ’ posters. _Instant stoner’s paradise _.__ ”

He turned back to Jane. “So - _will you do it?_ Everyone at the Academy’s heard of that beautiful globe that you made Russell Stark for a Father’s Day gift - and after I saw the photos, I knew that you had some serious metalworking skills.”

Jane went silent; she paced around Russell for a few seconds, and then walked up to him and took the ingot from his hand.

“This will be my down-payment,” she told him. “I want - _wait a minute _!__ ”

“What? ” Russell started to scan the room, eyes looking for threats - until Jane grasped his right elbow.”

“Easy, there, Marine. I just remembered where I’ve seen this before.”

Russell couldn't help but to laugh as he spoke up. "Actually, I'm _Navy_. _My_  parents met, got married, had kids _and_ _in that order_."

Jane thought back to the telescoping baton that her fellow Legionnaire Fran Lawrence had brought out several days ago, when they were checking out a local bank robbery - and the huge block in their basement which held the _Soul Crystal_  that the Legion confiscated from the criminal Lou Cypher…

“You're sure that this stuff can be used for weapons, right?”

“Oh, my, yes. They hit a big deposit back in the 1840s in Montana - and Native American mystic warriors have been using it for _centuries_. Soft enough to manipulate, takes a serious edge that doesn’t dull easily, and even a small amount hits like a sledgehammer.”

“Interesting…” Jane purred. “ _Deal _.__  Let’s sit down and work out the basics. I’ll need some more of this ‘ _witchblock_ ’, too. I’ve got a couple of ideas… and you can tell me how many other marks - I mean, _cadets_  - would like to have _some original Jane Lane works_  for their very own.”

 

**END**

 

14 August 2017

 

 

 

 


End file.
